Bristol must make use of their home advantage

SOME people will say this has been a bad season for Bristol – but I would not go that far.

I think it has been substandard, although the opportunity remains to come away with something tangible after a difficult 12 months.
To reach the promotion play-offs and win the British & Irish Cup could not be considered a bad season – and Bristol have a huge advantage tomorrow in that they are at home against Bedford.
I only hope that, because they are now playing in front of their own supporters, they do not lose the fear factor they clearly had when they went to Pontypridd for the semi-final.

They knew they had to be at something near their best going to Wales – and they should have the same approach tomorrow. Yes, this has been a turbulent year for the club and a difficult season, but the opportunity is there to sign off on a high and put down some building blocks for next season – and it is an opportunity that must not be missed.
The game is on Sky, too, so there will be a big audience watching around the country – and Bristol can show potential future investors and players what they are all about.
This game is a huge shop window, because Bristol is still a hotbed of rugby, even if the team hasn't performed like that this season. Whenever an opportunity like this comes along, you have to grasp it – and I think Bristol will.
Whether you are leaving the club or staying put, you are only as good as your next game – and the players have a great chance now to go out and win some silverware.
Say what you like about Bristol's season or the British & Irish Cup, these players have earned the right to be where they are and now they have to go out and take advantage of this chance.
Bedford will not be easy opponents, though. Just ask Worcester, who almost came a cropper against them last weekend. They have, however, had a short turnaround from an exhausting game since – and only tomorrow will we know how they react to that.
For Bristol, with Paul Hull, Matt Salter and a number of players leaving, tomorrow can provide a great ending for them – and the kind of end to the season that the club needs.
● It is less than a month until I climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Bristol Children's Hospital. For further information, or to donate, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/MarkRegan KilimanjaroChallenge2011.
Source http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/